News
Announcing ATPE’s 2024 Award Finalists
Date Posted: 4/11/2024
ATPE is excited to announce the finalists for the Educator of the Year, Campus Representative of the Year, and Local Unit of the Year awards! The winners will be recognized at the 2024 ATPE Summit in Dallas this July.
Charles Pickitt Educator of the Year Award
This award—named after founding ATPE member Charles Pickitt—recognizes ATPE members who demonstrate exceptional or innovative capabilities in their respective educational fields. Award recipients will receive a $5,000 prize. This year’s finalists are:
- Administrator of the Year—Rebecca Lanham, Gladewater ISD; Claire Bray, Nacogdoches ISD; Kimberly Bissell, Corpus Christi ISD
- Associate of the Year—Dora Melendez, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD; Melanie DeValcourt, Nacogdoches ISD; Richard Garcia, Mesquite ISD
- Elementary Teacher of the Year—Leigh DeFreitas, Katy ISD; Nicole Needham, Katy ISD; Julie Dautrich, Katy ISD
- Secondary Teacher of the Year—Anabel Guerra, Sharyland ISD; Dani Boepple, Mesquite ISD; LaErica Barcelona, Katy ISD
- Special Services Educator of the Year—Rebecca Guzman, La Joya ISD; Michael Murray, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD; Zacnithe Trevino, Valley View ISD
Doug Rogers Campus Representative of the Year Award
These awards, which are named after a longtime ATPE executive director, acknowledge special ATPE volunteers who are fundamental to the continued growth and development of our grassroots organization. Award recipients will receive $1,000 each, and their local units will receive $250 for future local unit activities. The finalists are:
- Local unit with 201–500 members—Bertha Cantu, Mission CISD; Michael Sweet, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD; Katherine Whitbeck, Nacogdoches ISD
- Local unit with 501–1,000 members—Jesus Garza, La Joya ISD; Annabel Cruz, La Joya ISD; Hilda Martinez, La Joya ISD
- Local unit with 1,001+ members—Suzanne Kujawa, Katy ISD; Lena Angel, Katy ISD; Luis Garcia, Edinburg CISD
Floyd Trimble Local Unit of the Year Award
These awards—named after one of ATPE’s founding members—recognize a local unit’s superior efforts and accomplishments during the year. Each winning local unit will receive $1,000. The finalists are:
- Local units with 1–200 members—Hempstead ATPE, Region 4; Ballinger ATPE, Region 15; North Starr ATPE, Region 1
- Local units with 201–500 members—Nacogdoches ATPE, Region 7; Magnolia ATPE, Region 6; Keller ATPE, Region 11
- Local units with 501–1,000 members—Waxahachie ATPE, Region 10
- Local units with 1,001+ members—Edinburg ATPE, Region 1; Plano ATPE, Region 10; CypressFairbanks ATPE, Region 4
Congratulations to all of our award finalists!
For more information about ATPE’s prestigious awards, visit atpe.org/awards. To learn more about the ATPE Summit, visit atpesummit.org.